Petition to repeal Affordable Care Act delivered to Sen. Roy Blunt

COLUMBIA - A petition to repeal the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as "Obamacare," was delivered to Sen. Roy Blunt’s office on Monday.

Supporters of the petition held a rally to allow people to sign it before before delivering it. The petition had nearly 25,000 electronic signatures gathered over the past several years.

“The petition we actually received from Tea-Party Patriots, which is a national organization," said James Coyne, the President of Mid-Mo Patriots. "They, like our local organization, are strongly in favor of the full repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and the primary reason, the primary focus of Mid-Mo Patriots, is people having individual liberty, and the ability to make their own decisions and run their own life.”

Coyne, who has been in the health insurance business for almost 23 years, said he has seen the industry change in the wake of the Affordable Care Act.

He said he has seen a full major medical policy for a healthy 25-year-old male non smoker go from $75 to $330.

"I’m not talking ancient history, I’m talking 2013." Coyne said.

The Mid-Mo Patriots said the largest problem they have with the ACA is it limits people’s choice of health care plans.

“It would be like if there was one government cell phone that you had to buy and you would be punished for buying any other type of cell phone, they would fine you for that, and they would have the apps preloaded of what apps they want you to have, what apps you wanted would be completely irrelevant, and I know that sounds extreme, but that’s really the way the Affordable Care Act is,” said Coyne.

President Trump and many Senate Republicans instead support the American Health Care Act, designed as part of a plan to repeal and replace the ACA.

Opponents of the Trump-supported plan say it will leave millions without insurance and increase premiums significantly for older Americans. Opponents also object to planned cuts in Medicaid.

Missouri Democrat Sen. Claire McCaskill said in a statement that "I’m not interested in just throwing stones, I’m ready to work with anyone to improve healthcare for Missourians. The individual insurance market in Missouri needs fixing."